Key 19 Lost

Louise figured out the 'British Library Legend 19' quite simple really, well for a native English speaking person I suppose.  Lots of words in the English lexicon have various different meanings suffice to say that 'Legend' is also used in graphs to define the 'Key' of the labels on a graph.  Basically that turns the clue into 'British Library Key 19' as in locker key 19 (BL), a quick visit to the solicitor turned up a bunch of keys which the solicitor did not think was important.

I asked Bob to come with me but he said he had a research paper to finish that he had promised to be done by the end of the week, so Louise came instead.

Unfortunately we were delayed by some twonk on the railway line at least that is what Louise managed to get out of the train guard when we finally arrived at Victoria station.  I splashed out on a Taxi instead of going via the Tube just as well since according to the Taxi driver someone had tripped a fire alarm 'by accident' at Euston Road station.  Arriving at the Library showed a plethora of police cars and fire engines, Louise wandered up to the taped off area with a smile whilst I found a bored looking fireman having a fag.

Louise's and my information tallied to show that someone had started a fire in the cloakroom, if anything had survived it would now be part of police evidence meaning that it is completely lost to us for the time being.  I am finding it hard to believe that any of this is a coincidence, only four people knew about locker 19.  Bob, Louise, myself and Bill which leads me to a couple of possiblities Galesh's bugs worked really well or the information was extracted quite recently from Bill himself which means he is still alive although the timing is somewhat suspect.  There is of course one other possibility which I cannot even consider at this point, just does not bear thinking about.

Every time I get close to some tangible evidence it is whipped away from me at the last minute, it is becoming very frustrating indeed.  At least Foilhead's Norway source has solved the second zone in the Janus Archive one step closer to discovering the truth behind the archive (annoying when they cannot spell Caesar though), whilst I think the information supplied in the zip file is probably immaterial the keys are used elsewhere which is what the lady from Norway said.  

The online community have gone oddly quiet but I cannot worry about that as well I am sure they can look after themselves.  If they want to impart information I am sure they will at the appropriate juncture.

Sunday Roast

Inspector Galesh visited us today whilst we were having our Sunday roast, I mean is nothing sacred these days.  Although the boys weren't really that hungry what with what Foildhead posted up, both of them were on a definite edge.  I was also a little annoyed with Foilhead since he posted the information before telling me, I think he is feeling a tad guilty about the whole thing because he will not return any of my emails.

Galesh seemed genuinely surprised that we were in, I mean how he could not know we were here with half the county's coppers camped on our doorstep.  You've got wonder what they think we are going to do exactly.

Both Wallace and Bob were quiet, Bob is a quiet chap anyway but Wallace is never this subdued.  Obviously the possibility that Maad is dead has gotten to him somewhat.  It was up to me to be the voice of reason well sort of.

I led Galesh into my flat, “Sorry to interrupt your Sunday roast but I thought you would like know straight away.” Galesh paused seeing that neither Wallace or Bob had eaten much of the roast lamb I made for them, he was eying the food with obvious interest so I said “Would you be interested in some lamb I have far bit over.”  Galesh leapt at the chance and pretty much polished of all the meat and vegetables, I couldn't see where he put it really quite a skinny man in fact with one those little horrible goatees men seem to love these days.  I had hoped it would put him in a good mood maybe give us a more information that he had intended.

Wallace looked at me surprised but I gave him the look that says I'm in charge my flat my rules, normally he would argue a bit before giving way but this time he just rolled his eyes and got more beer out of the fridge for himself and Bob.  He didn't offer me or Galesh one.

When Galesh had finished he thanked me for the meal and said it was the best roast lamb he had had in a long time.  Which made me blush a little and Wallace just rolled his eyes again, finally he made contribution to the conversation by saying, “Such charmer you are Inspector perhaps now you have eaten our food you could enlighten us with the reason for your visit?”

“Of course, you must remember in a high pressured job like mine finding time to eat can be difficult.  Well I am sure you've heard by now that Professor Maad and his wife were involved an incident.” Galesh said with a rather thin smile.

The boys were quiet waiting I assumed for Galesh to continue so I interjected, “We haven't heard anything concrete only really rumours, we've been hoping that there would some official news.  Are you here to tell us something officially?”

“Nothing is official these days but the Professor and his wife are dead.  A very sad loss indeed.”  I thought it best to pin him down exactly at this point. “Who exactly is it a sad loss to?”  Sounds harsh really but Wallace didn't even seemed to be in the same room so I thought I had better step up to the plate as they say in baseball.  “Why to the scientific community of course, dear lady.” Galesh replied.  I was beginning to wish I had let him starve, “Not to the RMS or your Numbered chaps?” I said.

Galesh stood up and walked around so that he faced us all, “I think you have built up the RMS into something ugly or perhaps you think we are involved in a huge conspiracy to take over the world.  I assure you that this does not even come close to perhaps a Jame Bond plot.  We are all about community the Professor's death is a major loss and we are very devastated, we knew that you were all close so I thought it probably best coming from me in person as opposed to hearing it on the news.”  I didn't like that 'Dear lady' at all, community my ass.  “So it will definitely be on the news then?” I said.  Galesh put his hands in his pockets which is quite unusual for a copper to do at least in Britain anyways, he replies “Well that is in the purview of the Foreign Office, nothing to do with me.  I suggest that anything you are currently looking into you drop before more people get hurt.”  Unbelievable just like that he threatens us to stop our investigations at which point Wallace wakes up.

“Of course I happy to help the police in anyway I can as long as they are not in fact holding any useful information back about the whereabouts of good friend Bill Rouke and an American called John Knile.  Are perhaps saying that my investigation has caused the death of the Professor and his lovely wife, I supposed if someone had warned me in time I could of called in a few favours and made sure that they would be safe.  Sadly however nobody told me anything as long as those lines, the more clues I get the easier it is to find the answers I need to complete the case.  I would say Inspector that you and the RMS are all about keeping things secret and your sense of community is nonexistent.  Good day.”

Galesh looked me and I just shrugged my shoulders he turned and left the flat.  I turned on the news to fill in the silence.  And who was on the news but that cute guy Johnny Howard from the Corcas Four, he had just been named as the pilot of the new spaceplane Enlil that they are launching next Friday.  I remember Foilhead mentioning this on his blog.

And that was the end of the Sunday roast.

Visiting Mr Brown

I took Bob to see Mr Brown yesterday so we could have a chat away from all the bugs Galesh had placed in my flat and office, I am practically living in 1984 these days. You may remember Mr Brown from my previous case, he is a creation of Corcas Inc. labs a Woolly Mammoth clone from genetic material found frozen in Russia. He has got his own private reserve in a safari park in Kent and I am one of the few people the keepers let into his paddock. They think Mr Brown likes me but I know better Mr Brown likes me because I bring him Jelly Babies.

Bob seems a little unsure when Mr Brown trumpets loudly when he catches sight of me but I assure him that everything will be fine. Mr Brown does nearly run us both down in his enthusiasm but we managed to jump out of the way in time as Mr Brown attempts to do a power-slide on the grass. Quite an amazing sight really not something you see everyday.

Now there is no point in having a chat away from Galesh's bugs if I am then going write it up on the blog, so my conversation with Bob is encrypted. You may remember in a previous case I used a poem by Bill, Archie and his Spoon who had a fondness for Eigenerv. The key will this time however been his full name. One other thing Louise is feeling a little left out of late and would an love email from someone to cheer her up. I also wouldn't say no to any information you have found of late.

Encrypted Conversation:

S: “Eslb hms kjl Xsoqhkhcf eidaumpzep?

B: “Pqb ufay dtdih glv ciepeak dfp'a gpu?”

H: “Bwh, mch vvimxmmr yy mkzqu tz bgj wb usjlqelt azd dg haliyj qdi hb wkamc epe tid cdiz fcre ivog wlxrpnb ir pfuzqclp.”

E: “Scr W uema, nzc bhq mfua xbre kw dbzl vvimxmmre bzvz iod mrth.  Hvrr r bmh xwnfhj cnw ie chutwjrh r linvmt af gjvbpczsatg cs ee wvntmnf dfebufne, zjxhhrr zj apgmrml ukmnfrpql aobtyrcmd.  Hpez I xqa i dlzvwg zcbo rp qe, tb wms fdcqpud wzph dnkvo plo jeqn fxlzxrtwltb grzvniw eqmqs rpk apmprft voq yjal Aswtasyqw bp bclfv ozy hzbnpcmnf vvtzqpnd wg awuux.”

N: “Spz dmnf ik?”

D: “Pb iao d kwcfg rfpm htbh ut jcfqog 'Ekah aol fv kn fdm, FBS'.  Z czsfd ekw Efcsijowc tn hq kegd eio sdv hsbg mk, dm ufat eazf 'Zwnezqw ssoq'.  Lv swfwl nqvvt ziz aybedfs.”

J: “M nkcwo aak tyca NQS dwscrg ssi Bzpo Xedczxht Tuy, kw log zirjb ez je perf.  P epnohj lvog lv ea ecgizg kq nmu ofw gu hvr Tiknpdaod aef P jft jrm ws yasno bsp tooakkvv pf ekw Ocbr.  Hf uwf vvoi wyca ebs huaihsa me ppp owcgmvpa ljd ekw Efcsijowc emlx yfw?”

I: “Apmp rx xh mrw, kdwfrp I fhzpr bie Augusgfsi gmae i lat kq oqnspox X hvvrb dm hla tdyzpn bp pcrltqh zi.”

S: “Eb opacdisgk Wayxdfswof'w bevrowm, fhvtl iqppdjtr hb fv dqyea ttak vom Liyj zpr opgvoa ez aoye tqswtslo hdkse.  Lv qapo qt fo jvyqle oroc vwf ieautpa, ta hvcs bie dluz obq xf hqgp nodemgy.  Bie ahgezs bj yea wlvd ioiuoqqeo kab og n Kfz.”

E: “Lyl if grxl bie wdfs'g zbgrpqzy is nezpn vfac Owcu?  W glfqose Tezg ncz i nyek gg twpxzkv ncmafeu df P.Q. Lzywrfosx.”

S: “Owxp xeapcg ziz tsdl Acjrgiwne'd atarzgz efrp lf eofg fromo tv fmck, jl imwlbk howq mk ea plaiqr kq dzjtp iarhwbr ndmy jwu tamg h tjteow uoqg xf xidp qt un.”

N: “K oiue ekacy kumtd jtea wqrv hhku tshf ws rvh ekb hcqtq hrrwg ttzuatg og ech.”

J: “Zk'a cutp yha oaxhv xb hui ukkfxmnf aj Uhzloxdfs, cbr sw Hwgpkrmfk'u zbprthk bsbgmfja esqs oika ha cetqy xb hui mwtwpg bqlfy Smog.  Tw sagc fezz bslb Ol wruu'b jtd rjxuwaec xctwled blv zwneekacu tnv fhlpc.  Bhunx kz biae vsbs ggsiu blwss mbfwa Tfnr dk p  vmcskdmetkax pccjm bno wzt ghbvp ea pqneotzxltz bplfv rfredal mj Zazdfnwp Dacwwg, gsrqj hqvp qt us dwsbjpwh xxqhvseo eclxpqd kqnmuhpu.”

O: “Ivwf vvwtwj loqs eqa pfla pw uwbq Fzht lyl tte fvomss lqv wck glzo qd wqnweu vv Kpmarftbh Glvkzj.”

M: “Nram njhb zof wgar ar eskce Nwmboegub Uhprjn Pwyp kdwfrpt fhvtl ebs dret gcex fb uluwr qvvpa biae ksedsaiu ev esm pmsk voiu csdfvsr rjwaketdexy vxlzztslfv ks xrfs. Gpd?”

E: “Af iku azvlj eshwq yimat jpa bgt kjlzf hlv ld ps zsia bz tb ttae voiu.”

B: “Hhda hvr hfycxpvt mljq tmottrfh Yoym rjl spz fugyvz ihatqki hkb hviwy-vqnss.”

N: “K appurkl Zozv aro iy Tvduae Ivleedv kjfsyc yaz zcqgunj cym oohkwgs brei Ocxpz?”

B: “Ihf muwxs? Mxl Zozv mj ppp omafh ruwmdt zi lws Ubhuaad Ocrsa njv qt tsh dxts tmmaz,  Ofzgm ffwnpu a ohedb qnpcal Clstmvzlh.  Pfrp lk ivs glzjo esit oaliob ny lwltbhvse sppy bhq Piqmmtszu epburh kk bclvsxakg wist zi lws rbglimye zexakkuo uo ekah twtlk wvo Zh's bongy, qu sllv 'ws tbv ndwx pict diqw wg bwrgs wg n wval'.  Jzc sqe zp apf ftjzi sjrvp zzza wf fhv flupn'd eddcr glrp tlylep oe vom hrzxfs o qbtp kn esm dqmfp dwvlo dhesoe.”

A: “Z zw yzb sqe njhb zof djt usgxzjo?”

M: “Zh's bongy pbd drethvvrx pw oz eifh snvwe, ppuzpdg ui rykpda ta sfol apre rx hsav hzrqyp jlaou.”

Y: “Fwvr eddzwbt eskce gimbiigz, zfawoq sc bbx sa az dqlxy.”

S: “Vom uhtqy xg kuiia lto bhq vrowqse xblw qczi wnwx tv tte wkyau?  I ekacy Cm gfjbcztlqd ykz xfoaow lwhu xyea mwwop.”

W: “Kjl eiowh lwwbt mj bicqmtohvf hve wsb odizq xya Xczneesft jwostgwg hvnx kk jp tuparkcub uo slk uwsyh fb aefly?”

N: “Wvns bie Augusgfsi ppzfohf tyca qt wlvf'i hvr fckwo tbsqlw dbb toxh kdfh bj vjmcrg fuecf hve oq fgjfgr lv ppzfohf ik evcmd mh lpddrh ro ncpm ezeiif.  Bie mogdr knw gazslxs vujv apf vpkarzs ssi ppp qqexd.”

N: “Uaqml yrl wszcmec qy qqnpiei Iqml ekgjuv!”

O: “Etywcoqns tyg Qioud Djrvwii zj bslb fulv voiu mpqlxcbf 'Tfpmyng Zanv Vlaus '61' tw lpzyf eskce nwnfrfn hve szpw hcfg sw abpcvax yfwap erfj, lwoh fsljld l tof lzml eiae Rr wor qse'p gzf bhunb?”

Y: “Hzf yzx kpmwak ndie T gog tykus tajlfv pspelom esit us tqtxmeehdn wbuydwv!”

M: “Tb ie tyg vvmy wryxqoy gfjkwfaian Z'o hnsatg scr ancsa jwzwd us zpkmfd ekwxf jrlzytp hpioh dghvt wp fgjzr gvrys te.”

E: “Faicjlie sllv xb vvw dkae cmcqnk dswh amrmi 729 pilmec i nzupmnp ehtmeo Qacs Frqvzqpd, qf ie kthkl tsh kdifpi fb bspqr eugrsqfs xdqqs wg azht ecicw acn apf wlb tpqy gs kdm Kzve.”

I: “Blv pb blw vwtag n pzpbwp boa eruf, Q xad zgcrsemec qq hpaf Ffkspfao vsxr knw gazslxs yijkunprxdlxcb cvfximwg sgpgnpme bj Ijtr Ghr.”

S: “E lzy'b ttiem dm iagh uwcwpi aqae tuasieg dpbt tv zpddrrzjo ez Jixl zh om js lfljozyc zj bsp Hoze.  Kjl apoyhj ls urx yeu zfb tte sgabfr.”

H: “Bgj ofr vzcpe zn cauiul, iu lpdki ks uema i opnizikg kqsenwadb hb kf ev yze.  Oze fvoms tslfv gczikdqyr Q nqeu avc uo or xdf ar.  Fzht'd dwluczvvz hagh et o gvrxhm pydexogg ymdeywdn wh psepitymd m sdcst qipfw dt dntvn bsp pazdntpbjnr lk Qwzy'w, zp alja ozlp 'Dyquidk Dxpfnvp Hmrpvd 19'.  U hrxl vpt rrl p qzhi ndie tb mqaeu, jio yzx ddcy vrkk qe qwr ye.  Z muwx I ndf ififx pkc htbh ut, Z voqok tw ah wacsipiye.”

J: “I iicn kw ny mhki.  Zcboj hqvp Ur Nrfyu pbs pdltb oyp pkcc Umlxy Sciqfs.”

H: “Kah ysrtvna nzupxazp apbt erg biqu wlcic ta bmd wqy pjm, mxl ws rbij jwe dmey tf opve.  Wp kss psfx sa opebizg scjs, Moflkt kwyp sa ezczyunx.”

The Lone Ant

To protect the identity of the eminent entomologist I shall simply called him ‘E’

W: “What do you know about a paper called ‘The Lone Ant’ by Dr. Abdul Jibril?”

E: “Yes I do know the paper although I only scanned it when it came in, I do get an awful lot of papers it is hard to keep track of them all. I’ve got it here somewhere. Then again I think it might have been in the stack of papers that got taken when they broke in.”

W: “Broke in?”

E: “I was burgled about month ago now, they didn’t take much a laptop and a bundle of papers nothing really important really.”

W: “Obviously they thought it important enough to steal them in the first place, I mean to pick a stack of papers out of the rest?” I indicated the rest of the room which was almost floor to ceiling filled with files and loose papers.

E: “Now that I think about it you do have a point there, I mean the paper in question is considered to be a little bit on the fringes of science but I hardly think it warrants being stolen. I mean it was published and it is in the public eye.”

W: “That is what I thought but I cannot find it anywhere on the Internet or in any academic circles involved in this area of study.”

E: “Well that is odd indeed!

W: “And the good doctor appears to have vanished from Cairo University, nobody has seen him since Bill went missing.”

E: “Bill?”

W: “The reason I am speaking to you is that my friend and Cambridge Professor William Rouke went missing quite recently. He was writing a book with Dr. Abdul Jibril called ‘What is Component Theory?’ In my search to find Bill I have been trying to understand what his theory is about in the hopes that I will able track his movements. Bill and Jibril were working together on the book, his paper ‘The Lone Ant’ has been mentioned.”

E: “As I said I only really scanned it but the name of the paper says it all really.”

W: “You will have to be a little more specific than that, the only thing I know about insects is getting spiders out of the bath when my friend Louise asks.”

E: “Well technically spiders are not insects, they are arachnids but they are related. It is a common misconception by the public, I assume your friend doesn’t like spiders then?”

W: “It is not that she does not like them, she says she gets a cold chill down her spine when looking at them. Perhaps you could clarify a little regarding the paper?”

E: “Yes! Of course, I tend to forget that people don’t know everything I do. A bit of a character flaw but then I find a lot of scientists have this flaw, living in a little world of our own as it were. Now you may not be aware that ants are social insects in the fact they work together to complete common goals, the title of paper obviously suggests that perhaps there was a time in the past when ants were individuals and didn’t work as a group. From what I remember this was the core of what the paper was about, his introduction was about a new discipline called ‘Pollution Interference’.”

W: “Yes I have heard of it someone on the web has written about it, what do you know about it?”

E: “Well actually it looked set to be the next hot scientific subject, they were very keen on it in the states and then just like that it all went very quiet. It happens all the time with new disciplines some survive and some don’t.”

W: “So how was Pollution Interference involved in his paper?”

E: “Well it all comes back to the increase in Colony Collapse Disorder, don’t you see?”

W: “I am sorry Doctor you have lost me again.”

E: “Sorry I’d thought you might have heard of CCD it has made the news several times over the last few years. Colony Collapse Disorder or CCD is a mechanism which is causing the death of worker bees and the corresponding, sudden collapse of the bee colony/hive. I assume you at least aware that bees pollinate the majority of our flowering food crops?”

W: “I understand that they play part in our farming are you saying without bees all our crops would die off?”

E: “Well about seventy percent of the plants on the planet are pollinated by bees, so unless something is done to stop CCD or replace the bees you are looking at the possibility of a planet without much plant life left. Albert Einstien said 'if the bee disappeared off the surface of the globe then man would only have four years of life left. No more bees, no more pollination, no more plants, no more animals, no more man,' But I wouldn't worry too much mankind has proved to be very adaptable, at least so far.”

W: “But what has CCD to do with Pollution Interference?”

E: “From I what understand PI could be one of the reasons for the increase of CCD, effectively man's increasing pollution is interfering with the natural order of the planet.”

W: “How does this relate to ants?”

E: “You will have to remember I didn't read all of the paper but Dr. Jibril made reference to experiments whereby ant colonies were cut off from all forms of known radiations even the air was purified. The ants became disorganized and acted more like individuals, sorry but I didn't read as far as the timescales that were involved in his experiments so I don't know how long it took before this occurred.”

W: “So what you saying is at some point in the distant past ants became social because of some form of increased radiation?”

E: “I think that would be the gist of the paper although what this radiation is or if it be a radiation at all, I do not believe Dr. Jibril has thus far determined the nature of the actual cause as yet.  Some scholars would say that this radiation created a mutation within the ants causing them to be more social, more evidence for the theory of evolution.”

W: “Could bees be also have been non-social in the past as well?”

E: “It is possible, however CCD is more about worker bees dying as opposed to them not working together.”

Basically I now have two partial theories which are probably linked by an event that happened in the distant past and what is echoing back is what Bill said when he went missing: 'The Zone is the source.'

This ongoing effect in the past whatever it was somehow made ants social and Sumerians violent! What sort of thing could achieve that? I know I have simplified both theories somewhat which makes the whole thing somewhat fanciful in nature and obviously there is so much more to both theories.

What else has been affected?

I do know one thing for sure Bill is hardly ever wrong he was once compared to James Lovelock.

What is Component Theory?

Visited a colleague of Bill’s this afternoon hoping for some clarity into Bill’s work I didn’t get quite what I was hoping for.

I shall simply refer to him as ‘X’ to protect his identity.

W: “What can you tell me about Bill’s work before he left Cambridge to write his book?”

X: “Well as you know his work was primarily based around ancient Sumer, you may remember he did that wonderful yet as it turned out controversial paper for his thesis: Cultural Changes in Sumer after the Flood. As far as I know he has expanded upon his original thesis.”

W: “You will have to forgive me but I never had a chance to read his paper perhaps you can summarize it for me.”

X: “Easier said than done dear fellow, but I will attempt it. Bill wanted to understand why there seemed be significant changes in the Sumer empire after a big flood when during previous floods nothing had particularly changed. In his original thesis he theorized that there must have been an exterior force at work to create such a seismic shift in Sumer’s culture. Of course there was no direct evidence for this third party but Bill quite clearly proved logically that there was a missing part to the equation. His work since then has mostly been on discovering what the missing component was.”

W: “What exactly was the change in Sumer?”

X: “Well the Sumerians were not originally a warlike people which was quite rare for the period, they however did excel in inventions. This period is considered by some as when the Great Flood occurred either before or after the arrival of Gilgamesh or Bilgames as his Sumerian name was. During Gilgamesh's period there is an increased period of violence and Lagash was a particularly violent King also there was a sudden increase in salinity in the soil apparently this was a known problem yet no one had ever done anything about it.  Certain theories state that the increase salinity was gradual and due to the high evaporation rate but Bill was sure that this was not the case.”

W: “Basically what you are saying is that there was a flood, Gilgamesh appears on the scene and all the Sumerians turn violent?”

X: “That is indeed a very crude estimation of what really happened, remembering of course that it is just a theory that fits some of the evidence for the period. Please remember that this change did not happen overnight, you are looking at least several generations before the Sumer city states begin their endless wars”

W: “That's Component Theory?”

X: “Oh! No. This was Bill's original thesis merely as they say the tip of the iceberg, caused a bit stir when it went for peer review I can tell you.”

W: “So what is Component Theory?”

X: “Well Bill never fully revealed the extent of the theory only that it was in part the logical conclusion of his previous thesis. Last time he spoke to me directly about it he mentioned that he was in contact with one Dr. Abdul Jibril an entomologist based in Cairo. Bill was very excited he said that the Doctor's work gave clues to the missing components within his new theory.”

W: “Do you know anything about Jibril and what he was working on?”

X: “Not much I'm afraid just the name of his paper, The Lone Ant. As an academic he doesn't register at all on the radar as they say.”

That was pretty much all that 'X' could give which leads me back to square one although he did mention one other name “Laurence Gardner ”. Bill had mentioned him but X said that the man wasn't even a proper scientist, he wasn't sure why Bill would even consider his theories.

I am not sure what to make of it all really, X did point me in the direction of a British based entomologist who might know more about Jibril's “The Lone Ant” paper.